It didn’t take long for Syed Ejaz Shah to realize his choice of location to build and start a restaurant was going to be a good decision.

“Once we got in here, we knew this was it,” says Shah, who opened his doors to his Olympia Mediterranean Restaurant just two weeks ago.

His location could be considered a primo location in downtown — just a few steps off the corner of 22nd Street and 2nd Avenue.

“So far, I am very happy. We’ve had a great response.”

On opening night, Saskatoon’s Mayor Charlie Clark, MP Kevin Waugh and other local dignitaries were on hand for the unveiling of the new downtown eatery.

For Shah, it’s quite a simple recipe for success. He insists on only fresh ingredients for his Mediterranean-styled dishes with everything being hand-made in the kitchen by his staff.

The Olympia offers separate lunch and dinner menus. Lunch options include everything from a delectable list of sandwiches such as the short rib sandwich and even a lamb burger.

Shah is more than aware that people have a finite period of time during their lunch hour and promises prompt service to accompany his good food.

The dinner menu is a little larger and offers everything from New York strip loin steaks to osso buco and tasty fish dishes. All the options are very decently priced with the 12-ounce rib eye at the top end of the price scale at $30.

The main area of the restaurant has seating for 180 guests. There is a separate banquet room used for meetings and special events which can handle an additional 50 people.

And then there is the spacious and well-planned upstairs which accommodates an additional 200 people.

“The key for me is getting people in here the first time. Once they see what kind of food and experience I offer, I know they will be back,” says Shah. “If they are happy, then I am happy.”

Aqua Massage Relaxation Centre

Sometimes a massage is just what the doctor ordered, so why not treat yourself to a full-body water massage?

At Aqua Massage Relaxation Centre in Market Mall, there are a number of ways to get your body feeling better through a massage, including the power of water.

“Here, we offer the power through the jets, but not the moisture, so you can stay nice and dry with a water massage,” says Aqua Massage’s manager, Clarke Liu.

There are three available here which provide a full massage using heated water jets with adjustable pressure and pulsation frequencies. Each of these machines can be uniquely tailored to a client’s needs through the 32 jets of water.

While laying on the bed fully clothed, people can put on a headset and listen to soothing music as the water pulsates over your body.

The centre bought three machines from the U.S. and brought them to Saskatoon.

“This is something new for people in Saskatoon to experience,” Liu says, adding there is nothing like this anywhere else in the city.

There is more to the centre that just water massages, he quickly adds. There are three premium massage chairs available to use also which provide muscle relief, increased circulation and a host of other benefits.

There are also a number of foot massagers as well as neck and shoulder massages available for use. These are used while the client sits comfortably in a relaxing lounge chair.

“We want to offer a whole experience of massage experiences,” says Liu. “There is no other business like this in Saskatoon.”

The centre also offers complimentary coffee and tea as well as pop corn and soft-serve ice cream — just a little extra special touch provided to clients. Board games and cards also help pass the time while being massaged.

John Grainger is managing editor of The StarPhoenix. If you have started, expanded or moved a small business in Saskatoon within the last few months, contact him at jgrainger@postmedia.com. Home-based and temporary businesses, as well as those without physical locations, will not be considered for publication. Follow John on Twitter @Real1John

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